Electric-lamp socket.



G, B. THMAS. ELECTRlC LAMPSCKET. APPLlcATloH HLED Immo, 1916.

Patented me 26, w1?.

GEORGE B. THGMAS, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTUT, l\5"lt" TRIS' CQEKIPANY, QF BRIDGEEORT, CONNECTCU', f2), tml' ELECTRIC-LAM?? Application led January 20, 1916.

To all 'ic/wm it' may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE B. THOMAS, a, citizen et the United States of America, :ind residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented ii certain new and useful Improvement in Electric-Lamp Sockets, of which the following` a specification.

My invention relates to electric lmnp ie Sockets and particularly to sockets for in` candescent lamps, the object of, my invention being to provide an improved holding device and receiving contacts for lamps of the Edi-Swzin type.

in the accon'ipanying drawing,

Figure l is a vertical. section through a. lamp socket in which my invention is embodied in one forni;

liig. 2 is o detached broken elevation 20 thereof;

Figq is a trensveree section on the line l is a plan showing the manner in which they insulating disk is adjusted be- 25 tween the lamp-receiving contacts;

litio. 5 is a dropped perspective of the holding shell and lamp bese;

is zi plan of the insulating holly of the socket alone; vand 3G Fig. 7 is e plein ol the opposite end of 'the socket body with the metal parts removed.

The present invention is here illustrated in e socket of switchless type, but it will he understood that the improvements hereinafter set forth, may he applied to a switched socket with only such minor changes of connection to the socket terminals its are necessiteted ley the interposition of a' switch 1;'9 mechanism between the wire terminals or I one of thorn end the socket terminals or one el' them. .Since the invention does not relote to these particular eonneetionstheyere not here shown or ties'erihefh l t. i-ted, the socket comprises en ,insulating body, here in `one piece, 10, 'receseed on opposite 'ities it its inner end to forni lateral bey and l2 in which are .located the wire termina-ls 13 and lretto Speetively. t the outer or lamp-reeeivingr end of the socket, the block 10 is recessed d', cent opposite margins 'to afford Seats nfl le the hoses 17 and 18 of the teit rinitis i9 circinnzterentielly spaced over Specification of Letters Iretent l the suhiidjzicent end 20.' These. ternir lepping helices; of tietmete` noly integral 'witl'i their hases ffl one* .i8 ou sprung awey them other. rThe for the haeee er terminale are alined with the wire terminal. hays se that the Securing screw holte and which hold the wire terinineis in. place also secure the ,Socket terminale on the initier tace of the iinsulating;` body and iiiiord elec trical connection iictwet-in the ea ic. i sec- .11e ond pair ot' marginal seats 23-L`i spac'd from thetorininal seats, receive the ol'l'cet bases 25, 26, of the legs 2i, 2S, strncliY from the side wells' of the lanip-supporting shell El). Screw heirs il() and il piercingr the in block taire into these tapped bases and hold the shell tast. to the block.

When a lriinp 32 inserted in the socket, its two contacts 3, Si, entrego the terminals l) and 2li and establish i cuit through the lamp. His the lamp is pushed in however, it compresses these helicoidal terminals and brings them into such close proximity that there is danger of their contactingA with cach other and thus short circiiiting the lamp. lo eliminate this danfor l' provide a dist; l el insulating' ineterinl siii'li as paper. liber. mica or the likej which in interposed hetween the i'iverl'viiiny Cre portions o'j the helices and insures their separation and electrical isolation even should they he pressed herd down against the socket holly hv the inserted lamp. 'lhis disk is; radially slotted at ll, 2li', lo permit the ends of the terminals to pass; tiere through, while arcuate slote4 38 .find B9 coin municatingV therewith forni tongues if() and Lil in the disk which are distorted down ward beneath the respective terminals when the disk is in adjusted position. The method of resembling the digit with 'tion to the 'terminals is shown in lm the arrows i` f looting; the direction of tion oi the elisir iii. r the ende c nais have heen ii. crt-ed slot@ 36, 3?, The is shown in Fie: 3,

that the exposed end of t only' spaced circuin 'I posed. end of terminal 2li, in portion oi' the diei; ui'it'ieriying end. of terminal l!) ei-iporates 'Jl n here it w ill und vice :in order to position the neatli the peripheral-ledge in itsadjusted position and hold4 it against accidental displlicement, I provide it with opposite margi al ears 42, 43, which are engaged and confined by notches Llei, Ll5 in the inner edge of the shell 29. The position of thesenotches is of course predetermined with relation to the size and position of the terminals so that the disk occupies substantially the position shown in Fig. 3.

A surrounding casing for the socket is also provided, which comprises a cap and shell 47 sleeving therewith and provided with readily detachable latching devices 48` and 49 within the sleev'ing area. The cap is provided with the usual threaded bushing 50 for attaching the {itting to a wire conduit, while the shell has near its outer end a threaded bead-i1 adapted to receive a shade holder. `To prevent the socket body from swiveling in the casing during the adjustment of the lamp, I provide the block 10 on opposite 'sides with channels 52, 53, into which take projections 54, Von the shell. .These-projections are here formed by striking inwardly tongues of metal, preferably within the sleeving area of the shell and cap so that the appearance of the assembled fitting is not marred thei'e- The casing is also inwardly offset at 56 to form a shoulder which engages be- 57 on the block separation o' n A lining 58 of insulating material may be interposed and thus prevents endwise between the shell and cap to provide against an possible danger should the supporting shell, through some unforeseen contingency, be brought into the circuit.

The usual studs 59 and GO on the lamp base engage the bayonet slots 61 and 62 in the shell on the insertion of the lamp while the outward pressure of the spring terminals 19 and 2O holds the 'studs irmly in sition.

. Various modiica-tions in details of construction will readily occur to those skilled in the art which`do .not depart from what I 'claimas my invention.

i vention I claim as my lamp socket having a pair 1', An electric of su erposed helicoidal lanipzengaging tertweenl the spires of their insulation from each other.

and insulating means interposed bemina s said terminals to insure 2. hn electric lamp socket having a pair ininals of cireumfeientially helicoidal lamp-engaging terminals and insulating means interposed between the spires of said terminals to insure their insulation from each other.

3. An electricl lamp socket haring a pair of super-posed helicoidal lamp-engaging teraiid insulating means interposed hetween the spires of said terminals to insure their insulation from each other, together with means to maintain said insulating means in adjusted position.

al. An electric lamp socket having a pair of superposed minals and insulating means interposed between the spires oi" said terminals to insure their insulation from each other, said means comprising a split disk through which the lamp-engaging ends or' the terminals pass.

5. An electric lamp socket having a pair of superposed helicoidal lamp-engaging terininals and insulating means interposed between the spires of said terminals to insure their insulation from each other, said means comprising a split disk through which the lamp-engaging ends of the terminals pass. a lamp supporting shell surrounding said terminals and lugs on the .insulating disk engaging said shell to hold the disk in adjusted position. t

(i. An electric lamu socket haring a pair t of lamp-engaging terminals, a lamp supporting shell surrounding the saine, outwardly bowed legs struckv from the wall of said shell and oti'set lugs at the free ends ot said legs tapped to receive securing screws. 7. An electric lamp socket having a pair of superposed helicoidal lamp-engaging terminals, an insulating body carrying the saine, a said terminals and secured to said `body, said shell being notched at its inner edge, a split insulating disk interposed between said terminals and through which the lamp engaging ends ot' the terminals project, an( marginal ears on said disk engaging in the notches in the shell to hold the disk in adjusted position. In testimony whereot1 I have signed my naine to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. THOMAS, Witnesses: i

G.W. Grooimmen, H. M. Wieriniri.

spaced, superposed,

helicoidal lamp-engaging ter-' lamp supporting shell surrounding 

